Healing hands
by Morwen Black
Summary: Velena was a priestess and a healer, when her world changed forever she sought a new purpose in another world. Along the way she made friends and enemies - and in the end she might save more than one life, perhaps that was always her destiny. Haldir/OC, kinda girl falls into middle earth, not 10th walker. (Short hiatus)


I wanted to try my hands at a girl-falls-into-middleearth fic, but with a twist as she's not a modern day real world girl.

The acrid smoke made Velena's eyes water and it burned in her lungs with every breath she took. Looking around she had to squint to try and make out the shapes of the still fighting as the roar of the fire drowned out the screams and moans of the wounded and the dying.

It was not supposed to be like this.

She stumbled forward towards the remains of the main gate, the large oaken doors had been torn partially of the hinges when the lords men first attacked the temple. When she reached the remains of the left side she had to fight to keep the bile from rising, there partially under the heavy door lay the bloody body of brother Roman.

He was the oldest amongst the dozen brothers who served at the great mothers temple and dearly loved for his ability to spin a good tale and bring laughter to everyone who crossed his path.

She knelt next to him, but even partially obscured as he was, she knew that even her healing abilities would not have saved him.

Looking up she spotted another two brothers, a sister and the local blacksmith amongst the dead.

Why? WHY? Kept running through her mind and she felt like screaming in rage but a broken sob followed by bitter tears was all which escaped her.

"Lady Velena!"

Her head snapped up upon hearing her name being called and spotted the figure limping towards her from the remnants of the stables.

As he got closer and the smoke cleared slightly she recognised him as sir Chaell a young man, only just out of boyhood, who'd recently been accepted as a recruit in the temple guard.

He was dragging his left leg and even at a distance she could tell that he was still bleeding profusely despite his attempt to stem the flow.

"My lady, thank the mother you are unharmed, we need to leave."

He must have realised she would protest, because he continued before she could get a word in.

"I know I'm not a fully fledged guard my lady, but it is still my duty to protect you. Most of the guard is dead and those who are still fighting are heavily outnumbered."

He hesitated slightly before he reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Please my lady, the temple of the great mother has fallen, we will need _you_ as her high priestess to bring what has transpired today before the King."

She knew he was right of cours, it was her duty, but how could she just leave the wounded and dying, the sick and the poor who cried out for her help?

The great mother had given her the gift of healing and it had always been her strongest calling, to abandon those who needed her now and leave them in the hands of a power hungry Lord felt like a betrayal.

"I... Yes, you are right, but first let me have a look at your leg sir Chaell."

Velena motioned for him to sit near her and called forth her gift, when the soft golden glow engulfed her hands she placed them gentle on the young mans thigh carefully covering the wound. She felt the power ebb and flow as she slowly knit the flesh and skin back together, healing was time consuming and draining and not something she would usually have done on the battlefield.

She winced at the wording, this wasn't just a battlefield this was the great mothers temple, her home, the most renowned place of learning in all of Walheim, sanctuary for the poor and healing house for the ill. And now... now it was a smouldering ruin.

Sir Chaell who had kept watch while she healed him placed his hand over hers.

"I am well enough now my lady, we cannot linger here any longer, Lord Laweir's men will without a doubt search for survivors."

Velena felt a chill run down her spine at the mention of the young Lord Lawier, his father had been a good ruler who cared for his people, but the young lord was selfish and deprived.

At first it had been rumours of beatings of servants and the rape of a few young women, then the tax collectors had taken more than their due leaving many starving and destitute, last came the disappearances whenever someone spoke out against the Lord.

As the great mothers high priestess she had confronted him about the plight of his people once, but he had been uncaring and in his clear blue eyes there was no remorse.

She had sent several missives to the King, but his hands were bound and without prof there was little he could do.

So she had watched and waited, healing and shielding those who came to her, but it had all been for nothing, all but a few were dead now.

Sir Chaell stood back up and reached down to help her to her feet, she grasped his hand grateful for the aid.

As soon as she had gained her balance the pair headed out on the bridge to leave the temple complex, but they had only just cleared the broken gate when the whistle of loosened arrows pierced the air.

She was pushed aside and then two thuds told her that the arrows had hit their mark, sir Chaell sank to his knees one arrow protruding from his chest and one from his neck.

Velena desperately reached out, hands already glowing, but he weakly pushed her hands away and tried to tell her to run. All that left him was a horribly gurgle as his lungs filled with blood.

She slowly became aware of the clattering of hooves making their way towards her, but she no longer had the will to run. The riders stopped a few feet ahead of her and she slowly looked up only to come face to face with a familiar pair of cold eyes, she scrambled to her feet and defiantly faced him.

"Lord Laweir, come to gloat at your perceived victory?"

He laughed, a cold sound devoid of emotion.

"Perceived? Even the great goddess couldn't stop me" he sneered "or do you still think she will save you?" He gestured towards the bodies strewn across the area.

She refused to rise to the bait "you might not face judgment now Lord Laweir, but the great mother sees all, and she WILL demand justice."

He glared angrily at her and gestured towards his guards "grab the preachy little whore, I'll show her that I answer to no one when we are done here".

Despite her bravery the knowledge of his depravity frightened her and she backed away.

No one noticed the crumbled edge, not until it was too late.

As she fell into the deep her fear dissipated, her life had always been in the great goddess' hand and death didn't frighten her.

Her only regret was of those she failed and those she left behind who still needed her help.

Velena slowly opened her eyes and saw nothing but a soft golden light, no ground, no air, no things, no people.

A voice came from the light, at the same time soft as a whisper and loud as thunder.

"My daughter"

The light rippled and brushed against her in comfort.

"What little life you've lived you spent serving me and saving others. Your time was short and you cannot go back."

A pause and a tendril of light reached out to wipe away her tears.

"So kind and so selfless, you cry not for the life you lost but for those you couldn't help. Had you wept for your own sake you would have gone to the golden hall with the others, but now you have a choice."

She felt the light shift as the great goddess spoke to her.

"There is another land, another world, they will face a great darkness in the coming age. They have heroes and healers of their own, but you can save several lives that would otherwise have been forfeited.

The path is long and the shadow is looming."

She opened her mouth to answer, but a flicker in the light made her wait.

"This is not a duty or an order my daughter, if you wish to continue to the halls the doors are open. This is a gift, a chance to reclaim the life that was taken. Chose carefully."

Velena closed her eyes again and thought of the family and friends who would wait for her in the golden halls, and that was the point was it not? They would _wait_.

"Great mother, if my gift saves even one additional life then it was worth it. I would like to go to this other world".

A pleased hum filled the air and once again she felt like she was falling.

Rumil stared at his brother and shook his head, Orophin was very lucky that Haldir was currently back in Caras Galadhon.

If he had seen his younger brothers antics a boring turn at the fences would be the least of Orophins problems, then again it WAS Orophin and stupid ideas was a trademark.

He was jolted from his thoughts when another warden signalled him, someone had just entered the forest and was headed towards them.

Rumil quickly motioned for his brother to stop messing around and get into position.

The wardens fanned out and kept a close eye on the approaching rider, Rumil frowned slightly, the rider was wearing a heavy cloak and his face was obscured.

He raised his hand ready to give the signal to intercept the stranger, when the rider pulled the reins and came to a halt.

"Well met wardens of lothlorien, I bring a message for your lord and lady"

Rumil relaxed slightly at the strangers use of sindarin but he still kept his bow ready.

"From whom do you bring such a message?"

The stranger softly pulled back his hood and Rumil heard several gasps from the other wardens when his armour was revealed.

"I'm Curion and I ride with a missive from Valinor, from the Valar themselves."

So that was the beginning of my fic, what did you guys think? Velena will arrive in Arda shortly and the story won't concern her past TOO much (that's not why we're here after all XD ) she will not be a 10th walker, in fact I don't think she'll learn to fight at all, but you never know I only have the major events outlined.


End file.
